(Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center, Orlando FL) Featuring the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra on the main stage of the Walt Disney Theatre, this 2-night performance was a fanciful delight of symphonic sound performing with some of film's most scenes of fantasy playing on the big screen.
Missed your letter from Hogwarts at age 12? Don’t miss your chance to delve into the magic that was the Harry Potter Concert at Dr. Phillips! Each year, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra performs the next Harry Potter movie in the franchise’s eight-movie sequence. This year, the orchestra played a beautiful rendition of the seventh movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 in Concert. How it works is that the orchestra is not playing in the pit below the stage as is typical, but instead the musicians are stationed right there on center stage, with the projector screen playing the original movie above them. It was a great help that there were captions at the bottom of the screen for the movie’s entirety, so that anyone in the audience, regardless of their seat or accommodations, can enjoy.
Going into the performance, we weren’t sure how exactly the movie portion would work, as in whether or not it would only be the scenes with music that would be featured. Our inner-tweenage selves were not disappointed in the slightest; the Harry Potter movie was played in its entirety, but it was the symphony that deeply immersed us into this wizarding world.
The symphony orchestra performing the movie score could not have been in more perfect synchronization with the actual original movie running; I had to remind myself that these were real life people playing these instruments in real life time, made even more impressive by the fact that the movie is showing above their own heads so that their cues of when to even begin playing were in the full trust of the conductor’s discretion, while of course observing the fruits of their visibly hard-working practice over the past few months.
The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 movie is the second-to-last movie in the series, so while it is helpful to have background knowledge on the other six movies beforehand, one can still thoroughly enjoy the concert because the beauty with music is that anyone, prior background or not, can experience the thrill of the symphony. What differentiates this concert from a regular movie showing (aside from the live orchestra, of course) is that the scenes where the music and the dialogue overlap, the music takes priority. This is where the truly immersive aspect of the experience comes into play, especially since the Harry Potter movies have a good share of suspenseful scenes where the plot and the orchestra’s intensity come together to have you on the edge of your seat.
Whether it’s your love of live symphony orchestra performances, or your passion for all things Harry Potter, it’s an amazing experience being surrounded by fellow Potterheads, with some even dressed in true Potter fashion in Hogwarts robes or Quidditch attire. Not only did sitting in the seats of Dr. Phillips make me feel like I was watching Harry Potter for the first time again, but that I was there in their wizarding world going on this adventure alongside Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and all the other characters that the orchestra transported me to.
This performance is truly deserves a '2 wands up' rating, which is the highest distinction that this review school can offer. Sincerely, we look forward to the next Harry Potter installment at Dr. Phillips. Hope to see you all there!
-- Brianna Guinigundo
Missed your letter from Hogwarts at age 12? Don’t miss your chance to delve into the magic that was the Harry Potter Concert at Dr. Phillips! Each year, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra performs the next Harry Potter movie in the franchise’s eight-movie sequence. This year, the orchestra played a beautiful rendition of the seventh movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 in Concert. How it works is that the orchestra is not playing in the pit below the stage as is typical, but instead the musicians are stationed right there on center stage, with the projector screen playing the original movie above them. It was a great help that there were captions at the bottom of the screen for the movie’s entirety, so that anyone in the audience, regardless of their seat or accommodations, can enjoy.
Going into the performance, we weren’t sure how exactly the movie portion would work, as in whether or not it would only be the scenes with music that would be featured. Our inner-tweenage selves were not disappointed in the slightest; the Harry Potter movie was played in its entirety, but it was the symphony that deeply immersed us into this wizarding world.
The symphony orchestra performing the movie score could not have been in more perfect synchronization with the actual original movie running; I had to remind myself that these were real life people playing these instruments in real life time, made even more impressive by the fact that the movie is showing above their own heads so that their cues of when to even begin playing were in the full trust of the conductor’s discretion, while of course observing the fruits of their visibly hard-working practice over the past few months.
The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 movie is the second-to-last movie in the series, so while it is helpful to have background knowledge on the other six movies beforehand, one can still thoroughly enjoy the concert because the beauty with music is that anyone, prior background or not, can experience the thrill of the symphony. What differentiates this concert from a regular movie showing (aside from the live orchestra, of course) is that the scenes where the music and the dialogue overlap, the music takes priority. This is where the truly immersive aspect of the experience comes into play, especially since the Harry Potter movies have a good share of suspenseful scenes where the plot and the orchestra’s intensity come together to have you on the edge of your seat.
Whether it’s your love of live symphony orchestra performances, or your passion for all things Harry Potter, it’s an amazing experience being surrounded by fellow Potterheads, with some even dressed in true Potter fashion in Hogwarts robes or Quidditch attire. Not only did sitting in the seats of Dr. Phillips make me feel like I was watching Harry Potter for the first time again, but that I was there in their wizarding world going on this adventure alongside Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and all the other characters that the orchestra transported me to.
This performance is truly deserves a '2 wands up' rating, which is the highest distinction that this review school can offer. Sincerely, we look forward to the next Harry Potter installment at Dr. Phillips. Hope to see you all there!
-- Brianna Guinigundo
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